Bread Machine White Bread

This recipe is for use in a Kenmore bread machine in the Pacific Northwest climate. I was so thrilled to find this bread machine for only $35 on sale at Sears during the Christmas shopping season. It paid for itself rather quickly. Every bread machine will require a slightly different recipe. I experimented with many batches to get this recipe. Using the recipe from the manufacturer's booklet resulted in a collapsed loaf. Not only did I have to tweak the ingredients, but I also had to experiment with the different machine settings. I wanted to have homemade, delicious bread that would be easy enough to make on a routine basis. I had several goals in mind while trying to create the perfect recipe for my bread machine:

1) Dirties up the fewest dishes and utensils possible; uses the measuring utensils included with machine.
2) Uses the fewest and cheapest and wholesome ingredients - the whole point of having my bread machine was to save money and do away with factory chemicals. I have priced this recipe at 50 cents per loaf of bread.
3) Takes the least amount of time for prep and actual baking of the loaf.
4) Has a pleasant taste, texture, density, and level of brownness.
5) Doesn't collapse (this seemed to be the most challenging issue!).

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Remove the pan from the machine, and make sure the beater blade is attached inside. Measure the following ingredients into the pan (using the machine's included measuring utensils), in the order below. Sprinkle the dry ingredients on the water. Then let it sit for a minute. Then pick up the pan and swish it around to mix and dissolve all these ingredients:
     > ⅞ c. warm water
     > 1½ tsp. salt
     > 1½ TBSP. sugar
     > 1½ tsp. active dry yeast

2) Dry out the measuring cup, to be used to measure the flour. Add these two ingredients to the water mixture, in this order:
     > 1 TBSP. olive oil
     > 3 c. bread machine flour (Gold Medal brand works fine)

3) Place the bread pan back into the machine. Plug in, close the lid, and apply these settings:
     > "Sweet" (#4)
     > "one pound loaf"
     > "dark color"
     Then press START, and a lovely loaf of bread will be ready in 2 hours and 40 minutes.

4) Once finished, remove the pan from the machine, and immediately turn the loaf out onto a cake rack to cool. It's okay to cut off the heels to munch on right away to get a taste of the fresh, warm bread. However, to slice the rest of the bread, it is easier if you wait for it to cool off.

Store in a plastic bag with a tight closure. This bread keeps for a few days.

For a taste variation, I like to substitute a half or whole cup of the flour with oat flour.

NOTE: My instructions above should not be used for using the delayed timer function on the machine. For using the delayed timer, the yeast needs to be added last on top of the flour and not touch any of the wet ingredients. I prefer to use the regular timing mode for my bread.

For further inspiration in how to experiment with your machine to get the perfect batch, I highly recommend that you keep "scientific" notes of each batch you make and read this Kindle book:
Bread Machine Journal - A step by step guide to better, faster bread by Dale Senseth

Pizza Crust

BREAD-LIKE crust:

1) Preheat oven to 150°F, for proofing the dough. Place one rack in the middle of the oven and the other on the bottom tier. Place a 9x13 cake pan with one inch of water in it on the bottom rack of the oven.

2) Begin with these ingredients:
     > 1&1/2 cup warm water
     > 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp.; 1/4 oz.) Red Star active dry yeast
     > 1 tsp sugar
Put the water in the Kitchen Aid bowl, then sprinkle sugar and the yeast on the water.

3) Let the above mixture set for about 10 minutes, then add the next four ingredients (mix dry ingredients together first).
     > 2 tbsp. olive oil
     > 4 cups flour
     > 2 tbsp gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
     > 1 1/4 tsp. salt

4) Use the mixing hook and knead on lowest setting until ball is formed and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough into a large glass bowl and coat with olive oil. Turn the oven off. Place a towel over the bowl and stick it in the oven.

5) While the dough is rising, prep the pizza pan: spread canola-butter over the bottom and sides, then dust with cornmeal. Shake off extra cornmeal.

6) Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it out to the shape of the pizza pan. Line the pan with the dough, then let it rise in a warm place until puffy.

7) While the dough is rising again, prep all the pizza ingredients. Once the fixings are on the pizza, bake in 400°F oven until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

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THIN and CRISPY crust...

1) In a KitchenAid mixing bowl:
     > dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 cup warm water, in the KitchenAid mixing bowl.
     > sprinkle 1 packet fast-rising yeast on top of water and let it get foamy, about 10 minutes.

2) Add these ingredients and knead until it balls up:
     > 3 c. flour
     > 1/4 tsp. salt
     > 1 tablespoon olive oil

3) Divide dough in half and place in two separate plastic bags. It can be frozen at this point. Otherwise, stick in fridge for a couple hours or room at room temperature (for _?_ minutes) until it doubles in bulk.

4) While still inside bag, squeeze air out of dough. Shape into patty and roll out on a generously floured board. Roll thin, with size to 1-inch past the edges of pizza pan.

5) Sprinkle cornmeal in pizza pan. Place rolled out dough in pan. Tuck edges of dough under to form a lip along edges of pan

6) Place in oven (not pre-heated) and allow to rise for 10-20 minutes. Shorter rising time will mean thinner, crispy crust. Brush olive oil over the entire crust. Then turn oven on to 400°F and put the pizza crust back in the oven. The "preheating" time for the oven will allow the dough to rise a little more.
7) When dough looks "set," but not browned, add pizza ingredients. Then finishing baking the pizza until done.